1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a method and system to be utilized in data processing systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data processing systems are systems that manipulate, process, and store data and are notorious within the art. Personal computer systems, and their associated subsystems, constitute well known species of data processing systems.
A personal computer system may be a desktop model system which can include one or more of the following: microprocessors, fans, magnetic disk drives, CD ROM disk drives, keyboards, printer devices, monitors, modems, digital cameras, fax machines, network cards, and various associated data buses to support the foregoing noted devices, as well as the supporting software to allow the foregoing devices to work together to provide a complete standalone system; furthermore, various other devices can also be utilized in order to provide the complete standalone system. Alternatively, a computer system may be a portable laptop or notebook system which can include some or all of the foregoing noted components listed for the desktop model system, and which typically include one or more of the following: batteries, battery chargers, and alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) power adapters.
Each of the foregoing-referenced data processing system components consumes power and produces waste heat in the process of performing their functions. Furthermore, it will be recognized by those in the art that modem CPUs draw large amounts of power and generate large amounts of waste heat in performing their function.
Both power consumption and waste heat management within data processing systems have become a concern in the data processing art. One reason for this is that electric power must be paid for, so power consumption translates to cost. Another reason is that modem processors are only guaranteed to function appropriately to a particular case temperature. Thus, it is imperative to remove the excess heat from the system, since if the heat is not removed, it can build up and either cause system inaccuracies or actually result in damage to data processing system components. In order to dissipate heat from data processing systems, exhaust fans are often utilized. However, one problem arising from the use of such fans is that they themselves draw power and produce waste heat in the course of performing their functions.
The foregoing discussion regarding thermal and power management concerns applies to virtually all data processing systems. These concerns intensify in the portable data processing (e.g., portable computer) realm.
In portable data processing systems (e.g., notebook, subnotebook, and palmtop computing devices) the system power is typically supplied by batteries. The batteries store a fixed supply of energy, which is depleted by the system over time. Furthermore, portable data processing systems often contain their components in small enclosures, and thus thermal management becomes even more of a problem due to the proximity of the system components. Present portable computing systems also typically utilize exhaust fans in order to dissipate heat. However, in portable systems problems arising from the use of such fans due to the fact that they themselves draw power and produce waste heat in the course of performing their functions becomes even more critical due to the facts that the power is typically supplied by batteries and the system heat is held and produced within a relatively small enclosure.
It is therefore apparent that a need exists in the art for a method and system which will provide for heat dissipation in data processing systems in such a way that neither additional heat i s produced within nor power drawn from the data processing system.